The new organization representing second-tier football clubs across Australia said that it has "only one chance to get its crack at forming a national second division right," according to Matt Windley of the HERALD SUN. Association of Australian Football Clubs spokesperson Tom Kalas said that a B-League is "still a few years away," as it is "imperative to get its foundations right before launching." The AAFC, "which has garnered the support" of more than 80 National Premier League clubs, will hold a "landmark meeting" in Melbourne on Monday night to "align its strategic priorities in what is a tumultuous time for the sport." But Kalas said that a second division -- "complete with promotion-relegation to and from the A-League -- is just one priority." He said, "The first priority is to get a seat at the national congress, to help drive the changes we need for football." The league "would almost certainly be played in the summer months," with 12 to 14 clubs initially represented in a 22 or 26-game season (HERALD SUN, 3/19). In Melbourne, Michael Lynch reported the organization wants to change the way football is organized, "from the pinnacle of the A-League down to suburban competitions." Its "chief aim is to revamp the financial distributions to the second-tier clubs that underpin the bulk" of Australian football and to "agitate for the creation of a national second division with promotion to and relegation from the A-League." Kalas said, "We will have over 80 people here, half of them from interstate from all cities and regions in the country. The interest has been great because there is widespread acknowledgement that what worked for the game at the start of the FFA period 12 years ago does not necessarily deliver the best outcomes now" (THE AGE, 3/19).
